In the Interim
by SadaraLochlan
Summary: OC heavy, you've been warned. While awaiting the shakedown cruise of her upcoming command, Captain Sadara Lochlan takes an interim assignment on board the USS T'Kumbra as ship's counselor. There she'll have to face Captain Solok, who taunts more "emotionally handicapped species" and her Vulcan half.
1. In the Interim

Captain Sadara Lochlan arrived at the guest quarters on space station Deep Space Nine. The USS Sitting Bull had just dropped her off before embarking on its next mission; and Sadara would remain aboard Deep Space Nine until the T'Kumbra arrived for scheduled maintenance the following week.

The station's security chief, a Changeling called Odo accompanied her and assisted her in reprogramming her code to one of her choosing. They had already gone through the usual formalities of acclimating her to the layout and amenities of the space station a short while ago. Normally, Lochlan would be in command of a Federation starship as she had done for a significant portion of her adult life, but the USS Sovereign wasn't ready for her shakedown cruise and Lochlan's former command, the USS Sutherland had just been decommissioned after extensive damage in combat against the Dominion had rendered the ship unfit for service any longer.

While waiting for the Sovereign to be ready, she'd asked for some temporary work as a counselor. They'd offered an interim assignment aboard the USS T'Kumbra for the remaining year of the Sovereign's completion. The T'Kumbra posed a tantalizing challenge for the Vulcan/Human hybrid. The Nebula class starship boasted an all Vulcan crew (at least until she came aboard) and Vulcans in general attempted to resolve their own issues through private meditation. Lochlan wasn't certain she'd see much work counseling clients. Still the opportunity for observation and research would be there in spades. If nothing else, she'd get to see how the Vulcans, a normally pacifist species, coped with long term combat.

An additional challenge lay before her in the form of the T'Kumbra's commanding officer, Captain Solok. Vulcans tended toward superiority complexes, frequently taking stabs at the emotional natures of others species, but Solok was unusually aggressive about it. Sadara would have to find a way to balance her two halves in a way that facilitated her acceptance among the crew of the T'Kumbra, but without sacrificing her own personality too much along the way. "When in Rome…" as the Terran phrase went.

She'd gotten what she'd wanted. And then some as she'd come to find out.

"Solok *is* a douchebag," Captain Lochlan agreed with Captain Benjamin Sisko over a mug of piping hot chocolate in Sisko's spacious office a few days later. "But I'd still rather have him around then say… Ed Jellico. Insufferable man… At least Solok will behave logically and rationally. You know, not jack up your crew's shift rotation for his own amusement. My chief engineer on the Sutherland wanted to ship Jellico back to the Hood via photon torpedo tube."

Sisko chuckled, a deep chuckle at that. "You still haven't forgiven him for the total chaos that ensued when he ordered that delta shift on the Sutherland a few years back, eh?"

The half Vulcan/half Human woman fixed Sisko with a withering look. "I told Starfleet if Jellico was ever assigned temporary command of my ship again, they'd find out how many people in the Alpha Quadrant owe me favors."

"Either it's a very long list or you're bluffing."

An enigmatic smile tugged at Lochlan's full, nude tinted lips. "The important thing for Starfleet is that they don't try to find out which one."

"You sound pretty sure of yourself."

"In this business one has to be," she returned.

Picking up a datapad that had been loitering on his obsidian colored desk, Sisko gestured toward Lochlan with it before letting it clatter back on the others in the stack.

"Speaking of Captain Solok, the T'Kumbra will be docking here for repairs again tomorrow."

There was a time when Captain Sisko's large, onyx eyes would have shone with anger and resentment, but since having defeated Solok's last attempt to humiliate him, those same eyes fairly gleamed with amusement and satisfaction now.

"A few days ahead of schedule then."

Taking another sip from her still hot mug, Sadara kept both hands wrapped around it. Her half Vulcan physiology preferred hotter temperatures and the hot mugs gave her much needed warmth when she had to endure temperatures more suitable to humans.

"Bullies are easily recognizable amongst children. Adults have a harder time spotting them I think. We come to expect more mature behavior from other adults that it takes time for us to realize that some adults are really just your average everyday playground bully. Like Solok; he's just an overgrown bully with better toys and playing a more insidious and passive aggressive game. They're best defeated by not giving them what they want."

Sisko nodded. "It took me a while to realize that."

"But once you did…"

He grinned hugely, showing off perfect white teeth. "But once I did the result was a hell of a lot more fun."

"Thought so." Sadara's sapphire blue eyes twinkled with amusement.

"So…," Sisko grinned again, picking up his baseball from its resting spot on his desk and tossing it up into the air a few feet. "When do I get to hear about the good old days?"

This time it was Sadara who grinned. "I only tell stories to Klingons because they love them. How about I show you instead? I have a number of holodeck programs that recreate some of those old adventures. Some from the Enterprise, the Essex, and the Aries. Round up a holosuite and we'll kick it old school."

"You're on!"

Quark's bar was unusually deserted when Sadara arrived. Only Morn and a few Bajoran and Starfleet officers on the nightwatch were scattered about. It was late though, or rather early being that midnight had come and gone not too long ago. She had just spent the last few hours in the Holosuite sharing some recreations of a few adventures from her days on the Enterprise and Aries with Captain Sisko. She had changed out of her uniform into a low cut, wine colored dress. Her dark brown hair hung in loose curls about her shoulders. Sidling up to the bar, Sadara ordered a strawberry daiquiri, a request that inadvertently piqued Quark's curiosity.

"I thought Vulcans didn't drink," he said as he mixed the drink and slid it in front of her.

"I'm only half Vulcan so I do; though my Vulcan physiology prevents the enjoyment of intoxication and hangovers."

"Where's the fun in that?" The Ferengi bartender scoffed.

"Observing everyone else while *they're* enjoying intoxication and hangovers."

That earned the Vulcan/Human hybrid an appreciative chuckle from the barkeep. "And you're out and about rather late for a Vulcan too. Don't you guys usually meditate all night?"

Sadara's left eyebrow lifted in amusement. It was always interesting to learn what others assumed of certain species simply based on rumors they'd heard. For the most part, Sadara had learned to relish her Vulcan appearance. Vulcans were considered to be highly predictable due to their adherence to logic, but Sadara's Human half could often be used to her advantage as an element of surprise.

"As I said, my other half lends itself to some unpredictability." Lochlan considered explaining to the Ferengi her reasons for being out late, but she was new to the station and until she learned more about the culture and atmosphere here it was wiser to not give away too much about herself. The truth was Sadara rarely slept well the first few nights at a new posting. Too much change and excitement, she supposed. But the time awake was put to good use as she familiarized herself more with the new environment at a time when it was much less hectic. And Sadara had an inkling that Quark had been bartending long enough to have more than decent insight into people.

"And what is your other half? Not Betazoid since you don't have black eyes. Not Andorian since you don't have antennae…

Meeting Quark's large, blue eyes, Sadara determined it would be foolish to underestimate this one. Sly was the word. Ferengi tended to be a mixed bag in terms of intelligence characteristics. Some were "street smart" while others were more "book smart." Still others, and probably the most dangerous ones, were the ones with "emotional intelligence." Those ones knew how to learn a person's thumbscrews and use it against him. Quark appeared to be quite a bit of the first and the last groups.

"I should think it was fairly obvious."

"Based on your drink selection? Hardly. There's a Klingon here who comes in here asking for prune juice." Quark's voice was incredulous as if he still couldn't believe it.

"Point taken. Still, I have no outwardly physical characteristics of the majority of races save for Vulcan so you should be able to narrow down the possibilities fairly quickly. Let me know when you've figured it out," she grinned and scooted her now empty glass toward him. "And with that, I should retire. Good night."

Captain Solok entered the T'Kumbra's transporter room and acknowledged the ship's transporter chief with a brief nod. He took up a spot just in front of and to the right of the console with his arms relaxed at his side. As a Vulcan, it was Solok's nature to be efficient and well prepared so he had studied Captain Sadara Lochlan's service record and biography. Despite that information, he still felt unsure of what to expect. As a hybrid, Sadara likely displayed any combination of traits from both heritages, but as Solok had never met her before he could only speculate. She had been raised on Earth so it was logical to assume she behaved in more human ways than say, Ambassador Spock who had been raised on Vulcan. Solok was no psychologist, but it didn't take a psychology degree to understand the environment one was raised in counted for a lot in the development of personality. In any case, her addition to the T'Kumbra's crew was going to be interesting.

"Energize."

Lochlan materialized on the transporter pad and looked over at Solok, noting the four collar pips identifying him as the T'Kumbra's commanding officer, then raised her hand in the traditional Vulcan salute.

"Greetings, Captain. I come to serve."

Solok's eyebrow lifted in surprise and he returned the hand salute. "Your service honors us, Captain. Welcome aboard."

"Thank you, Captain."

"If you'll accompany me, I'll show you to your quarters."

The two captains exited the Transporter room and made a left down corridor. Lochlan smirked slightly in amusement. Despite her rank, it was obvious that she would be placed in senior officers' quarters if one was available or in guest quarters. Had Solok not been Vulcan he might have mentioned it. He didn't, obviously understanding that she had already come to the same logical conclusion. So far, he was treating her as more Vulcan than Human, or at least was assuming she was fairly well versed in Vulcan customs and behavior.

_He's probably testing me,_ she thought as they entered the Turbolift.

"Deck 9," he ordered the lift. "I ordered your living quarters be converted to similar specs as my own and Commander Xaton's. I trust they will be satisfactory."

"Thank you, Captain. Most kind." They came to a stop in front of a set of doors and Solok keyed in the code. Sadara took the initiative and entered first, looking around and already getting a feel for where she wanted to put her things.

"These will be perfect, Captain."

"You may call me Solok off duty. I find the constant formality somewhat…incongruent given your rank, accomplishments, and time in service."

A small smirk tugged at Sadara's neutral colored lips. "As you wish, Solok."

"My duty shift ends at 1800. Would you care to share the evening meal with me at 1900?"

This time it was Sadara's eyebrow that lifted in surprise. "It would be my pleasure."

With a nod, Solok turned toward the door. "I will be expecting you at my quarters then."

Then he was gone. Sadara had to admit she was somewhat surprised. She thought Captain Solok would have treated her wiyh more derision given her human half. Or maybe he just didn't think he could get away with his Vulcan superiority complex with her given rank and time in service. Though they were both captains, technically she outranked him due to the fact she had made captain a long time before he had. She shook her head, dismissing her thoughts as premature. She'd only been on the ship for 14.9 minutes and hadn't even met other members of the crew yet. It still remained to be seen how she would be treated on the T'Kumbra.

_Best get settled in,_ she thought, digging into her bags.


	2. The Dinner Date

Sadara Lochlan examined her appearance in the full length mirror. She still wasn't sure if she was supposed to be wearing her uniform to dinner tonight or if Solok had meant this in an unofficial capacity. He was likely bonded as most Vulcans were so logically the invitation to dinner tonight was a welcome one captain was extending another. In essence, he was acknowledging her as a peer rather than an underling even though she was temporarily serving aboard his vessel. He did say off duty though so off duty attire it was.

Her appearance somehow managed to blend Human and Vulcan elements. Sadara favored the less elaborate, more casual hairstyles that human females tended toward off duty so her long, chocolate brown locks hung in loose curls down her back in a casual half up, half down 'do. Her casual dress was more Vulcan in style with an elaborately detailed high neckline and a flowy mint green skirt that was longer and pointed at the hem on the sides. Okay, so the mint green color wasn't very Vulcan-ish. The dress had a somewhat triangular affect to it and Vulcans had a thing for triangles. She had changed her makeup to something more casual and complementary to her dress, and then finally added a few finishing touches.

The Vulcan/Human hybrid had to admit to a certain nervousness. Captain Solok was well known to have a penchant for teasing more "emotionally handicapped" species and she was certain her Human half was going to be provoked and scrutinized many times daily while she was aboard. Part of her suddenly had second thoughts as to this posting being a good idea, but she tossed those thoughts out the proverbial airlock. As a counselor, she knew a great deal about cognitive behavioral techniques. Change the thoughts, you can change the behaviors. Immediately, Sadara focused on replacing those negative thoughts with more positive ones. It was high time she conquered this nervousness she felt around Vulcans. She had felt this way even when she was captain of the Aries decades earlier with the Vulcan diplomatic delegation on board. The only way she was going to learn to feel comfortable in her own skin around Vulcans was to spend some lengthy time around Vulcans. She loathed the discomfort though. It pointed to an insecurity she wasn't keen on acknowledging. After all, she was in her 130's now. Shouldn't she be over that sort of thing? It wasn't that she didn't like who she was, but knowing that she was likely being judged behind all those impassive expressions that unnerved her.

Giving herself one final glance  
in the mirror, she exited her quarters. She'd been a starship captain for many years and if she'd learned anything during those years it was that fear was an obstacle to be overcome, a challenge to be embraced. Captain Solok's attitude toward non-Vulcans would be no different.

Solok finished setting the table and went over the preparations in his mind once again. The raven haired Vulcan very rarely entertained, much to his relief. The T'Kumbra, though equipped to handle diplomatic delegations and other Federation officials, was rarely called upon to do so. Starships with more legendary status and clout like the Enterprise were typically tasked with such things.

Solok had premeditated this evening knowing that Sadara would likely read into it nothing more than one captain choosing to socialize with a fellow captain, get to know each other, and trade stories of the captaincy. All were appealing, but Solok did have a hidden agenda. Despite his cynicism regarding more emotional species, Solok was willing to overlook Sadara's Human half in favor of compatibility. He was unbonded, a disturbing situation because of the Pon Farr. His first marriage had ended in dissolution some years before due to incompatibility. Despite the best efforts of the families, not all betrothals worked out. Solok's former wife was as complacent and uncompetitive as it was possible to be. She had little ambition and was not even amicable to joining Solok on board a starship so they could be together. Solok was precisely not those things. He did feel a need to compete, to excel, and to know more. In the end, it was not logical for them to remain together. And Humans said opposites attract…

The captain of the T'Kumbra had considered searching for a new mate on Vulcan, but ultimately decided the logical course was to attempt to find a female who was already in Starfleet. He had every intention of remaining in the service so it made sense that he bond with a woman who also had plans to remain in Starfleet. Sadara Lochlan's career had been exemplary and she'd shown no signs of leaving the service any time soon. She was also competitive and spirited. Tonight he would discover if there was any reasonable expectation of a compatible bonding. It would take time though, given her Human half. Were she fully Vulcan, she would be better prepared for a marriage proposal based on trait and interest compatibility. A hybrid raised on Earth would require more finesse and time.

The door chime chirped in Solok's quarters just as he'd finished setting everything on the table. He had selected a Vulcan dish he would expect her to be familiar with as well as an Earth dessert since he was feeling adventurous. Vulcans typically didn't indulge in dessert often, but he would have to indulge her Human half occasionally in order to pursue her.

"Enter," he called and he blinked as the doors swooshed open to reveal a very off duty Sadara Lochlan. Her dress wasn't a very appealing shade of green; Vulcans as a rule preferred bold hues, but the style was flattering and appropriate by Vulcan standards, the high neckline covering up her bosom and the hem of her skirt just short enough to reveal her long, shapely legs.

"Your timing is impeccable," Solok noted, gesturing to the other chair at the dining room table. "Please."

A smirk tugged her mauve lips upward. "You did say 1900 hours, not around 1900. I hazarded a guess that you meant precisely."

"You "guessed" correctly," he affirmed with a raised eyebrow.

As they loaded their plates, Sadara noted the Earth dessert that Solok had waiting in the wings. Vulcans had even more sensitive taste buds than Humans and Sadara wasn't sure if she should warn Solok about his selection or wait and watch the magic happen.

Decency and mischief waged a bitter battle inside Sadara's conscience, but ultimately decency won out. "Key Lime pie, Solok? I hope you're feeling adventurous because that stuff isn't for the timid."

It was Solok whose eyes lit up with amusement. "I assure you I sampled the treat before deciding on it. The tart quality is robust, but survivable."

Sadara chuckled and put both hands up in surrender, then Solok's Kal'Toh game on his desk caught her eye. "Kal'Toh, you play?"

"Yes, quite frequently actually. And you?"

"All the time. In fact, mine was given to me by my maternal grandmother who had it handed down to her by her mother. It has been in the family for generations."

Over the next few hours they had talked some about their respective careers, interests, and naturally, illogical human bonding rituals. It had been a pleasant evening. On her way back to her quarters, Sadara couldn't help but shake her head in disbelief; aside from teasing more emotional species, Solok didn't seem to be as bad as the rumors had led her to believe. But again, she hadn't been on board the T'Kumbra that long and how he performed as captain she had yet to see. She still didn't realize she was being sized up for more than just her Human half.


	3. Illogical Human Bonding Rituals

Sadara arrived at her office early the next morning. She wanted to get some things moved in and the room prepared in the unlikely event she would actually have clients to work with. As a starship captain, she'd found her psychology degrees and experience to be invaluable, but she hadn't actually practiced as an actual counselor in some time. Nonetheless, she had continued to renew her license as required and took refresher courses periodically to ensure she was up to date with the latest and greatest in behavioral health and exopsychology.

Sadara had eschewed the standard duty uniform in favor of something less imposing; in this case, a teal colored catsuit. Sadara would argue that the catsuit would be just as distracting, just not in the same way as the standard uniform. This was a crew full of Vulcans though. As she wasn't the ship's commanding officer and not simply a guest, her rank, while still valid, would have to be cloaked somewhat in order to avoid confusion; though she couldn't imagine how a crew of Vulcans would confuse her with Captain Solok. She'd be referred to as Counselor as opposed to Captain while on the T'Kumbra. The non-standard duty uniform would eliminate the need for rank pips.

As she placed several antique books on one of the shelves in the corner, she pondered why Starfleet offered her this position on the T'Kumbra. She was almost positive Captain Solok would take the offer of a ship's counselor as an insult. Vulcans were a private people and did their utmost to resolve their personal issues themselves; unless the war was taking that great a toll on this crew, which was possible at any rate. Vulcans also tended toward pacifism so constant warfare was undesirable.

She picked up a very thick, old volume of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders that had been a gift from Captain Kirk in the early days of their relationship. Despite the book being centuries old, the vast majority of the information contained in it was still applicable, particularly to Humans and she treasured the book as much for the information as the sentimental value. Unbelievably it had shown little wear when she'd received it.

The shrill chirp of her door chime interrupted her reminiscence. "Come in," she called with the book still flipped open in her hands. She was expecting to see Captain Solok or maybe another member of the senior staff like the first officer or the chief medical officer. That reminded her… she needed to drop by sickbay at some point that day for the mandatory physical before Dr. Sekal came looking for her assuming she was another sickbay dodger.

Shelving the book, she turned to her visitor who was anyone but one of the senior staff. She pegged him at about 25 years old, rather young for a Vulcan to have left the homeworld. It hardly surprised her that her first visitor would be young. Rumor control among Vulcans the last few decades had indicated a shift in the way younger generations were approaching issues and other cultures.

"Am I disturbing you, ma'am?" His voice wasn't particularly deep as Vulcan males went, but not unpleasant. His light brown hair was styled a bit more mussed than most Vulcans preferred as well. If this young man was any indication, these younger generations of Vulcans were trying new things. Sadara found that extremely interesting and more than a bit amusing.

"Not at all, Lieutenant Varek. Please come in. How can I be of assistance?" She gestured to the couch and waited for him to be seated before seating herself across from him.

She smirked slightly at his raised eyebrow.

"I familiarized myself with the crew manifest last night," she affirmed his unspoken question.

"Perhaps I should allow you to finish settling in? I wasn't expecting to be seen today; I merely wished to get on your schedule as soon as you're ready. And I am on duty in 20.32 minutes."

"Very well." Rising from her chair, Sadara retrieved a datapad and scrolled through her calendar to the next day. "I can start taking clients tomorrow. Do you have a time preference?"

"My duty shift ends at 1500 hours.

"Will 1530 be acceptable?"

"Quite. Until then." He departed quickly, leaving Sadara wondering how it was she had a client already. And even more, what could be bothering one of these normally private Vulcans to the point he wanted to see the ship's counselor just as soon as she came on board?

Somehow she had a feeling Captain Solok had requested a ship's counselor after all.

Her physical had been the usual tedious routine, but unlike a great number of command grade officers, Sadara rarely found sickbays to be chambers of horrors. Granted, she didn't go out of her way to spend any appreciable amount of time there, but she didn't feel it necessary or desirable to try and play hookie from the more routine appointments. In fact, it was the occasional variable that shook up her routine once in a while; not necessarily fun, but something else to do.

Dr. Sekal, the chief medical officer, was what the humans would call a "chatterbox.' He was in his 140's and had been in Starfleet almost as long as she had. She was rather surprised they hadn't crossed paths in all those years, but it was enjoyable to discuss earlier times in Starfleet with someone who had lived through them and not just read about them in a history book. Perhaps that explained his talkativeness; he now had someone his own age to talk to. He had mentioned that despite wanting to enter Starfleet earlier than he had, he felt compelled to remain in Shi'Kahr to raise his four children.

Sadara had left sickbay promising to show Sekal her holodeck programs recreating some of the old ships from the 23rd century. The holodeck was actually her next stop, but it was karaoke night so she'd be activating her karaoke bar program. She used to do this frequently with her best friend, Kathleen decades ago, but Kathleen had passed away many years ago. Since then, she had occasionally found others who also liked to karaoke, but on the T'Kumbra she knew there would be no takers among this all Vulcan crew. The holodecks and the shower were now her outlets for her compulsion to sing. Sometimes she wondered if singing was just as important to her as oxygen.

"Computer… illogical human bonding ritual Sadara 1."

She couldn't repress the gleeful grin that spread across her face. Sisko had told her the story about his rivalry with Solok and Sadara found the term "illogical human bonding ritual" to be irresistible; and if ever the humans had an illogical bonding ritual, karaoke had to be near the top of the list. The Vulcan/Human hybrid had many programs, but only a few were restricted to her access only. She believed in sharing and there weren't a great deal of aspects of her programs that she considered too personal or private to share. She had considered giving her programs more specific titles, but should any of the others decide to try out any of her programs, she figured the "grab bag" approach would do this crew some good. At the very least, it would be amusing for her.

"Program complete, enter when ready," the monotone voice of the computer replied.

Sadara entered the holodeck. She felt a little out of place as she hadn't changed into more suitable attire, but that was illogical considering nothing in the holodeck was "real" and it wasn't like she was in a standard uniform. Numerous unnamed faces chattered about the locale and dipped into appetizers and alcohol. Alcohol seemed to be the main ingredient necessary for getting many a person on the stage to begin with. Karaoke was not for the timid, especially if one couldn't carry a tune.

The microphone on stage though had her name on it.

Solok had made his way to holodeck 1 and entered despite the fact that a program was already running. He had asked the computer for Sadara's location and decided to see just what it was she liked to do in her free time. He also wanted to observe her when she thought no one was watching. It did occur to him that it was an invasion of privacy to some extent, but he'd address that if she chose to call him out on it.

His first impressions of the program as he entered the holodeck were that it was decidedly non-Vulcan in nature. The location reminded him of The Launching Pad where he'd first encountered Captain Sisko on Earth. The loud, almost oppressive sounds of human revelry assaulted his sensitive Vulcan ears. As he looked around for Sadara, he noted there was any number of different activities going on at once in this rather constrained space. At the fringes of the establishment, near the windows were couples and groups of friends enjoying meals while closer to the stage was a fairly decent crowd singing along with…

_Sadara?!_

His left eyebrow shot up as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. She was having what the humans would call "a blast." His first impulse was revulsion at the unabashed display of emotion coming from her, but he reminded himself she was half human. As much as he wanted to treat her as strictly Vulcan, she wasn't so it would be illogical to do so. That wouldn't stop him from poking at her human tendencies periodically though. Waiting until the song was nearly over, he located a seat near the stage where he'd be easily visible to her and dropped himself gracefully into the chair. Barely disguised amusement lit up his blue eyes. He fairly looked like the cat that ate the canary.

Sadara noticed him, but continued with her singing. If anything, she actually put on a bigger show just to prove a point. She wasn't about to be cowed into behaving more Vulcan than she really was just because she was now a member of an all Vulcan crew. When she was done, she called for the computer to freeze program.

"Captain Solok, here to experience even more illogical human bonding rituals?" She smirked and hopped off the stage, grabbing the chair next to him and dropping herself into it.

"I am certain I've reached my quota of those for the day."

"Wow, 5 minutes is all you've got in you?" _Whoa girl, watch it,_ she reminded herself. _That was borderline sexual innuendo there._

"Certainly not." The Vulcan captain's eyes gleamed with mischief as he responded to the hidden innuendo. Five minutes was certainly not all he had in him. Not by a long shot.

Sadara bit back her frustration. Her fellow captain was better at these games than she would have imagined. Solok was attractive though in a smug, arrogant Vulcan kind of way. If Vulcans had bad boys, this raven haired, insufferably maddening one would certainly qualify. He effortlessly provoked others and the wicked gleam in his eyes reflected how much he relished that ability. It should have been a repulsive quality, but instead it was disgustingly charismatic and made him sexually appealing in a way that would never be so in a more logical universe. What she really wanted to throttle him for though was whatever the cologne was he was wearing. He smelled so good she practically wanted to crawl in his lap and she was not trying to develop an attraction to him at all. Toss in his deep voice for flavor and control was definitely increasingly difficult to maintain.

"You asked for a ship's counselor, didn't you?" While he was scoping out her off duty shenanigans, she might as well pump him for answers; anything to distract herself from her baser instincts. She really wanted to get away from that damned scent.

"You are correct. The war has taken a toll on even an all Vulcan crew. Fortunately, you were in between commands and your license was still active. Starfleet made the logical decision in offering you this posting."

"You wanted me specifically?"

"A possibility."

"Nice evasion there." Sadara said standing up. The game was fast beginning to lose its appeal.

"If you must know, there is more than one reason you are here. The T'Kumbra *is* in need of a counselor. However, I have a personal interest. I am unbonded and given our common interests and professions, I am considering you as a potential bondmate."

"So I've surmised given that whatever scent it is you're wearing is saturated in pheromones, no doubt to encourage responsiveness. You certainly prefer more passive aggressive avenues. Let's discuss this at a later date when my judgment isn't compromised by an abundance of hormones."

The sadistic part of Sadara relished the look of disappointment in Solok's eyes. Apparently he thought this seduction was going to be made easier due to her human half.

He'd have to work harder than that.

"There's nothing you can do?" Sadara didn't even bother to repress the sigh of frustration as she sat up on the biobed and regarded Dr. Sekal. It had been three days since she'd been assaulted by the onslaught of pheromones from Captain Solok in the holodeck and Sadara felt like she could climb the walls. She'd tried meditation, hours in the gym trying to work the frustration out of herself, intense programs on the holodeck. So far, nothing had worked.

"Unfortunately not. These types of chemicals aren't considered illegal on either Vulcan or in Starfleet; in Starfleet's case, no doubt because they have very little information on what they may be used for and the effect on other species. So far no counteragent has been devised. I have ethical concerns about the use of such chemicals as they can and have put Vulcan females in Pon Farr, albeit unintentionally."

"But she's likely to turn to the male who triggered it with the artificial pheromones to begin with, thus influencing her in a less than moral fashion."

"Exactly. Captain Solok isn't prone to impulsive or immoral actions, but he is obviously attempting to attract you."

"He did mention he was unbonded. I understand that is an… undesirable state of affairs for an adult male Vulcan, but this… whatever chemical it was has triggered my baser instincts and it's showing no signs of dissipating. It's extremely distracting. I'm rather irritated with our good Captain, honestly."

Dr. Sekal doublechecked his monitors and tricorder.

"Of that I am sure, but I am detecting no neurochemical imbalance. You are simply experiencing elevated hormones and sensitivity to pheromones."

Hopping off the biobed, Sadara let out a deep breath. "Very well. I will discuss the matter with Captain Solok. The outcome is anyone's guess."

"Are you sure that's wise at the moment, Sadara?"

"No, but as the humans are fond of saying, que sera, sera."


	4. Logical Vulcan Bonding Rituals

Solok was on the holodeck when Sadara caught up with him. He had a re-creation of an area of the Vulcan desert she was not familiar with and she took a moment to get her bearings. The program was quite true to life. The temperature was what she would have expected for the high desert of Vulcan, approaching 135 degrees farenheit. She had grown up in Las Vegas, Nevada on Earth so she was used to the dry heat, but this was pushing the limits for her. Unfortunately, stripping off a layer of clothing would leave her in her undergarments and that would hardly be appropriate.

Her agile mind checked off all the dangers and variables she might expect to find in this environment. If Solok was baking in 135 degree heat like on Vulcan then it was logical to assume the rest of the program was equally as accurate. In the background, she heard the sounds of a few of Vulcan's wildlife species. Facing down a Le-matya wasn't her ideal off duty adventure. Further off in the distance was the sound of rushing water. Despite the overall desert climate of Vulcan, it did sport a few waterfalls, though none were as breathtakingly spectacular as those found on Earth. As Solok could exit the program at any time, she couldn't assume he'd situate himself near the water, but she decided to make that her first stop anyway. The sound of the water was often helpful for those attempting more extreme forms of meditation.

_More extreme forms of meditation… that doesn't sound good._

Shaking her head she dismissed the thought as premature. For all she knew, Solok spent a great deal of time in this program.

She found a cool (for Vulcan anyway) cave near the falls and cautiously ventured inside. It was rather dark, but her eyes adjusted after a few moments. The sound of the rushing water was soothing to her, but she realized that any number of hazards could be inside the cave. Her superior Vulcan senses were on high alert.

The Vulcan/Human woman found the T'Kumbra's commanding officer kneeling in one of the darker corners, his fingers steepled in front of him. His face looked strained, drawn, indicating that his meditation must not be proceeding well.

Even over the din of the waterfall, Solok's keen Vulcan hearing detected his visitor's approaching footsteps. He recognized the footsteps and scent as belonging to Sadara and a low growl of frustration tore from his throat. His eyes snapped open and he regarded her with open irritation. Her nearness was torture and he wanted nothing more than to pin her to the cave floor beneath him and make her his.

She came closer, choosing to ignore his irritation, but as she approached him she realized suddenly it hadn't been the cologne from the other night that contained all the pheromones. She didn't detect that scent on him now, but the pheromones were nearly overpowering.

"It is time," she stated neutrally.

She didn't elaborate. She didn't have to.

"It is in the early stages, but you are correct."

Suddenly a few of the remaining pieces clicked into place. "And you're not aboard anything destined for Vulcan so logically you have no one waiting for you there. And that would also explain why the T'Kumbra docked at Deep Space Nine ahead of schedule. You knew it was time."

He nodded, his head bowed in shame.

"Why didn't you tell me that instead of making it sound as if I was one potential candidate out of several and you had time?"

"I had hoped there would be more time for you to get to know me. I know you're half human and I did not wish to put this kind of pressure on you so soon. I may… tease the emotionalism of other species, but I do not wish them harm or to restrict their freedom of choice. My preference would have been for you to get to know me and choose me of your own accord. I can accept your human tendencies in favor of the compatibility I desire. I no longer wish to be alone or bonded to someone with whom I have nothing in common. Forgive me."

His body trembled violently with want and need and he was openly admiring her body now. His eyes squeezed shut almost painfully as he struggled with mantra after mantra, trying in vain to conquer the rampaging lust fueling his very being. But the woman he would have was standing five feet from him; five feet that somehow felt like the other side of the galaxy.

Sadara sighed in a mixture of compassion and frustration. Despite their logic, dealing with Vulcans was rarely simple. "Solok, I appreciate the consideration of my humanity, but I am half Vulcan and my Vulcan parent made certain I was aware of Vulcan customs and culture. While I have never been bonded to a Vulcan, I do understand the urgency of your situation. You are illogically prolonging your discomfort by attempting to do this in a less Vulcan way. Trust that I'm Vulcan enough to do the logical thing here."

She knelt before him and pondered how best to proceed. A meld would be the surest way to calm him, but he wasn't so far gone that he'd lost control. The goal though was to avert the plak tow if possible. Sadara slowly reached out and gently, almost hesitantly, put her hands on his chest, pushing open his silk, royal blue robe. A violent shudder shook his body and he gasped as her hands explored his chest, the fingers running through the course dark hair there. Solok was in excellent shape. He was also burning up.

Looking back into his aqua eyes, Sadara brought up two fingers that Solok met with his own. She slowly let down her mental shields to allow him into her mind, to discover all she was and he did the same. Lifting his right hand to her face, Solok found the proper contact points necessary to form and seal the telepathic mating bond. He found her slightly resistant, but realized that was due to inexperience. She'd never been bonded to a Vulcan before and wasn't sure exactly what to expect. He was impressed at how quickly she'd squelched the initial resistance.

The presence of his mind in hers was slightly disconcerting at first. Sadara had experienced mind melds before, but the mating bond was rather different. The meld, when broken off, did not typically leave any permanent tethers. The marriage bond locked her and Solok together for the rest of their lives and when physical contact was broken, they would still experience the link with each other. She could see images from his childhood; his Kahs-wahn, his struggle for the control all Vulcans pursued, and then later, his failed bonding to T'Lea, who deemed him too judgmental and manipulative to remain with. Through the bond, Sadara discovered that Solok tried to disdain what he could not have; the freedom to express his emotions. Teasing more emotional species helped to remind him he had to maintain his control. To be emotional was to risk being outcast from Vulcan and shaming the family as V'tosh Ka'tur. A stigma Sadara had avoided by virtue of being half human.

Satisfied that the bond was now strong, Solok pushed Sadara onto her back. His body followed hers to lie between her legs. For a moment that felt like an eternity the Vulcan male considered the possibility of taking her back to the comforts of his cabin, but he was growing more impatient and frustrated with each passing second. He had to have her now; to quench the flames in the welcoming coolness of her body. And somehow, this re-creation of his home planet felt a more ideal place to claim her as his. He reached under her and fumbled for the fastenings to her catsuit, but his trembling fingers failed him and he ripped the garment open instead. Roughly he yanked the tattered clothes from her body and sheathed himself within her in one quick movement. It was the beginning of a long night of passion and sharing.


	5. Adjustments

"Enter." Captain Solok didn't look up from his monitor as the doors to his ready room hissed open. Through their bond, he knew it was his new bondmate, Sadara. He finished entering a few commands and then lifted his head to gaze at her. She was clad in a silver colored, knee length dress appropriate for her duties as ship's counselor. The dress had a high neckline and long sleeves, but was fairly form fitting and clung to her curves, accentuating her slender waist and full hips. He had to resist the urge to order his door locked and take her on his couch right there in his ready room. It had been two days since his Pon Farr had been resolved, though he could still feel some vestiges of sexual desire. It was too soon to tell, but part of him had a suspicion it may not even be vestiges of the Pon Farr, but rather Sadara's human half filtering through their bond. Humans were typically more sexually active in general than Vulcans were and he sensed his new wife's libido was both strong and persistent. He would have to adjust his normal routine for that.

Sadara moved to the couch and sat down, waiting patiently for Solok to join her. Holding out two fingers to her, he sat down next to her. He could feel through the bond that she had a few things on her mind, but the details of one were kept hidden behind her shields.

"My wife. I have finished seeing to the details of our marriage."

"Officially took yourself out of circulation then?"

"And you," he responded with a raised eyebrow. "I trust you are fully moved in to my quarters?"

She nodded, then changed the subject. "I have noted that a number of your crew has continued to play baseball regularly.

"I am aware."

"Perhaps we should consider joining them? We both have competitive natures. Just imagine playing on opposing teams?"

Solok looked at her with confusion. "But I completed my task with the game."

"So did your crew members, but they have obviously seen some logic or other purpose in continuing. If I were you, I'd think on an even bigger scale. I'm sure there are other starships with crews interested in creating teams and playing against each other as starships rendezvous and whatnot. Sure, games would be sporadic, but there are a number of benefits to be had by playing. While Vulcans may not necessarily need the distraction from the war in order to maintain their mental health, many other species benefit from competitive team sports. They find them fun, challenging, and it helps build espirit d'corps. Instead of using your Vulcan superiority to defeat them, why don't you use it to help make them stronger? Suggesting something like this would do the fleet a world of good if enough ships go for it. We might even see some stodgy old Admirals at HQ taking a swing at it."

Captain Solok's expression turned thoughtful so Sadara pressed on. This was her chance to help him let go of some of the negative attitudes he harbored toward emotional species.

"We're both starship captains so we know that sometimes we have to help others on their level, not on ours. Humans and other species require some things to be healthier and more efficient that Vulcans can do without. I think something like this would go a long way toward releasing some of the tension around the fleet. You can do what you want, but it is only logical to suggest whatever might improve the performance of one's crew and fleet."

The curvy woman moved to stand, but Solok stopped her, gently guiding her back to the couch. "I shall consider it, but before you take your leave, I would like to know what the other issue is that you're blocking from me. It is creating "mixed feelings" in you, including some distress, but as I do not know the nature of the issue I cannot help."

Reluctantly, Sadara allowed her mental barriers to fall so he could see what she'd been blocking from him. She had seen Dr. Sekal earlier that morning. Vulcan females remained constantly fertile throughout their adult lives and as her bonding with Solok came without warning, she had not been on any birth control. She knew what the answer would be, but needed Sekal to confirm it. She hadn't felt as unsettled by the news as she had a century earlier when she'd discovered she was pregnant with Madeline. She had changed and so had Starfleet, which now allowed families on board starships. But she still had a choice to make now, whether to continue on to the Sovereign when it was ready for its shakedown cruise and break up their family or remain with Solok on the T'Kumbra. Sadara had come to the conclusion that women's choices were seldom easy. She knew that Solok preferred her to remain on the T'Kumbra with him.

She also felt some concern about how the child would be treated by Solok given its quarter human biology. While she could take his teasing, she feared their son or daughter would be negatively affected by it. Solok would have to curb the urge to make their child a super Vulcan in compensation for the human side. It had backfired with Sarek and Spock and would likely do so again here.

Sadara looked away from her husband as those blue eyes widened in stunned realization. "You are carrying my child…"

The Vulcan captain knew it was illogical to be so surprised by the news; they had after all been having unprotected sex during his Pon Farr, but things had progressed quickly between them and now they would soon be joined by a son or daughter. Solok tried to fight the proud, smug smirk that tugged at his lips. Sensing his smugness through their bond, Sadara turned back toward him with an amused eyebrow.

"You're way too proud of herself, Solok."

His expression softened some as he remembered it would be here who would have to endure the physical and emotional demands of the pregnancy over the next 10 months. He caressed her face with his index and middle fingers, allowing Sadara to sense his joy. "T'hy'la, this is most pleasing news."

She stood abruptly and walked behind Solok's desk, peering out the window at the stars whizzing by at warp speed. Through their bond, Solok sensed her distress and walked up behind her. He was somewhat at a loss of how to comfort her, but after a moment settled for wrapping his arms around her and allowing her to lean against him.

Finally she spoke. She tried not to sound like she was pleading with him, but it came out in her voice anyway. "I'm…scared that you're going to be too hard on the child. It will be one quarter human. I've known Ambassador Spock for many years. His father pushed him harder to compensate for his human half. It created a rift between them that never fully healed. I don't want that for you and our children."

"Aduna, I assure you I only have our child's best interests in mind. Please do not trouble yourself with such things right now; we have time to decide them before the child arrives. You must conserve your strength."

Sadara could not hold back the exhale of frustration. She loathed it when others treated pregnancy like it made her some sort of invalid. Of course Solok wanted to ensure the her health and the baby's, but it wasn't as if she needed to be put on bedrest.

"I'm fine, my Adun. I will return to our quarters and meditate until you get off duty."

"Very well," he nodded.

After Sadara left, Solok tried to concentrate on the work in front of him, but he found himself unusually distracted and chose to finish his shift on the bridge before returning home to his new wife.


	6. Here There Be Challenges

The following day, Sadara began seeing new clients. She had the computer adjust the lighting to something Vulcans would find comfortable. Having been raised on Earth, she typically preferred something a little dimmer, but the client's comfort was crucial when attempting to get him or her to discuss personal matters.

The light chestnut haired Lieutenant Varek had to be rescheduled due to Sadara's involvement in resolving Captain Solok's personal situation. The young man had arrived at precisely the appointed time and sat stiffly on the soft couch across from Sadara, who had situated herself in a nearby chair and perched attentively in it. She hoped she'd schooled her expression into something more Vulcan-like and yet she still hoped she exuded the necessary warmth and approachability that was necessary for this line of work. Getting Vulcans to open up about personal issues may be her greatest challenge yet.

"What can I help you with, Varek?"

Varek leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, steepling his fingers together as he looked up at the T'Kumbra's new counselor.

"Have you heard what happened to the ship's former chief engineer, Lieutenant Commander Tovek?"

Shaking her head, Sadara's dark eyebrows knitted together in concern. "Only that he died unexpectedly during a visit to Vulcan 5.3 months ago. Details were not entered into his service record."

"He returned home for the Koon-ut Kal'ifee. I was what humans would call his best friend and accompanied him. His chosen bride, T'Ryn chose the challenge. Tovek was killed by his rival."

Stunned, Sadara leaned back in her chair, digesting that. The ritual challenge had only been invoked once in centuries when T'Pring challenged her marriage to Spock in the 23rd century. It was nearly unheard of since the time of Surak. Another challenge so soon on the heels of T'Pring's was concerning. For a Vulcan male, the prospect of being rejected during Pon Farr was a nightmare to test even the most logical of souls.

"I grieve with thee," Sadara knew that underneath the neutral expression was a young man haunted by the brutal killing of a treasured friend on their home soil. And on what was expected to be as close to a celebratory occasion as Vulcans could muster.

"How long had you been friends?" She continued.

The light brown eyes glanced upward and to the left as his focus turned inward for a moment, calculating the exact amount of time he and Tovek had known each other. "6.8 years. We met at the Academy while learning how to swim and chose to serve together upon graduation."

Vulcans rarely pried into the personal affairs of even their closest friends and rarely disclosed their own. Logically, Sadara had no reason to believe the case had been different between Varek and Tovek. Still, the Vulcan/Human hybrid couldn't help but wonder if Tovek had sensed trouble in paradise before returning home. Logic told her the information was irrelevant as Tovek would have returned home anyway out of obligation.

Varek's brown eyes pierced her blue ones. "Logically I accept that Tovek is lost and I have made efforts to socialize with others, but I feel great unease in the manner of his death. An unease my meditative efforts have been unable to purge at this point."

"That's quite understandable," Sadara acknowledged, shifting in her chair slightly.

"Ma'am, after the challenge was over, I overheard a number of elder Vulcans commenting that it had been the 8th challenge in the last century. 6 of them had been against Vulcan males who had become Starfleet Officers or had other professions that took them offworld for extended periods of time. Since the challenge against then Commander Spock, more Vulcan females have challenged."

Sadara's eyebrows raised in horror at the revelation, but she willed objectivity and neutrality to return. "And being in Starfleet, you're naturally concerned you may be next?"

Varek nodded, his head ducked in shame. "I realize it is illogical. The odds are against it, but the ferocity of the Pon Farr put the remote possibility of challenge near the surface of my thoughts. I require other options besides meditation to resolve this unease."

"And I have a few. First I would encourage you to continue the meditative efforts, but we're going to accompany them with things you could do to lessen the possibility of an undesirable outcome. I realize I am working with a Vulcan crew so I will not pry into your personal business more than is necessary. I will make some suggestions that I think may be useful here and you can decide what is applicable and what isn't based on your situation. I am aware the not all betrothed couples choose to maintain regular contact prior to the koon-ut Kal'ifee. If you and your betrothed are not, it may be wise to do so more often so you can gauge the situation. Let's start there. The common denominator in those 6 challenges was the male's profession. I'm going to do some meditation on the possible driving forces behind those challenges. Hopefully that will lead to some more productive suggestions for you next session."

Nodding, Varek noted the time and stood. "I am most grateful for your time and assistance. I shall consider your suggestion and advise you of the outcome next week."

As the young Vulcan exited her office, Sadara leaned back in her chair and stared out the window, deep in thought. It appeared that T'Pring had started an alarming trend on Vulcan and at least one younger male was made nervous because of it. Sadara had to find out the psychosocial catalyst behind the challenges. She wondered briefly if Solok was aware of these developments on Vulcan and if he had, the captain of the T'Kumbra had chosen her for his wife with even more logical precision that she'd originally thought.


	7. Felicitations

It was said that the only thing that traveled faster than warp speed in Starfleet was news. Solok noted this was true even amongst an all Vulcan crew; well true in the intended figurative sense. Even full Vulcan couples sometimes had difficulty reining in the projection of their new marriage bond. Solok, whose fiery emotions threatened to crack through his frozen expression periodically, had to concentrate to keep the bond private. His new bondmate was half human though and she'd made an impressive effort to do the same, but Solok picked up on the occasional lapse when she was distracted by something that required most of her concentration. Between those bursts of emotional projection and Captain Solok's abrupt need for leave several days earlier, it didn't take a Vulcan to put two and two together.

The USS T'Kumbra's commanding officer was now a married man and the crew registered some surprise that his new wife was not a full Vulcan. The majority of the crew members didn't register any distaste at the projection for they knew this sort of projection was common as the newly bonded pair attuned to each other and learned to cope with each other's emotions. In a way it was similar to one ship extending shields around another. The goal was to block others out, yet it stretched the shields thinner until more energy could shore them up. With practice, Solok and Sadara would learn how to adjust their own shields to accommodate each other and still protect their privacy.

What some of them weren't sure of was whether or not they should offer any felicitations to the new couple in the absence of any formal announcement. It was what the humans called "the elephant in the room that no one was talking about." Everyone knew the captain had bonded, but was it appropriate to comment until a formal announcement was made? Speculation though quiet, was rampant however. Many logically deduced that Captain Solok had planned the bonding long before Sadara ever set foot on board the T'Kumbra. The timing had simply been more than mere coincidence.

Solok rose from the captain's chair as his relief arrived on the bridge at precisely 1700 hours. A few curious glances were shot in the tall captain's direction and the new duty officer raised an eyebrow in barely concealed amusement.

_Certainly I cannot be projecting…_, he thought with some irritation and disbelief, but the proof was right there in the glances of his bridge crew. He tugged at his uniform a little harder than he'd intended, belying his irritation with himself.

Lieutenant Commander Rendak sank down into the command chair as Solok stood to the side and briefed him about alpha shift's activities. "Have a pleasant evening, Captain… and felicitations on your bonding."

Solok gave Rendak a slight nod. "Thank you, Rendak."

Solok entered the turbolift and made the short journey to deck 8 and his living quarters. Along the way he passed a number of his crewmembers. Some shot him curious glances, others continued along, keeping to themselves. He made a concerted effort to shore up his mental shields as he strode down the brightly lid corridors.

Stopping in front of his quarters, he keyed in the code, and entered to the delightful aroma of the evening meal. Sadara was swathed in a long, flowing peach dress and her long chocolate locks were pulled back in a loose, low ponytail to keep it out of the Vulcan dish she was preparing. It surprised and pleased him that she had gone to the effort, though the replicator would have been more efficient.

"Impressive, my Aduna." His deep baritone held genuine appreciation.

"I learned to cook a little from my mother, but I didn't practice regularly until my relationship with Jim Kirk. He loved to cook." she said by way of explanation. A shorter tendril of hair came loose from the ponytail and with a fluid motion, Sadara tucked it behind her ear.

The sound of an incoming call interrupted their conversation.

"Excuse me," Solok said, making his way over to his desk. He tapped a button on the console and sat down. "Admiral Ross, greetings."

The graying Admiral nodded. "Greetings to you, Captain Solok. I hope I'm not disturbing you."

Solok's eyebrow lifted. "Not at all, Admiral. How can I be of service?"

"Ambassador Spock is returning to Vulcan. The T'Kumbra is ordered to rendezvous with the vessel carrying him out of Romulan space near the Neutral Zone. I'll send the exact details in a coded message shortly. I'm sure I don't have to tell you to keep your guard up."

"Of course not, sir," Solok's voice held a touch of indignation. With enemy vessels nearby it would be illogical to not use caution.

"Once you have the Ambassador on board, you will return him to Vulcan. Given that you have an all Vulcan crew, the T'Kumbra is authorized 48 hours of shore leave. The Albuquerque will cover your post in the interim."

"Acknowledged, sir. The crew will be most appreciative."

"Good," Admiral Ross nodded. "Now…," he said, holding up a slim, gray datapad. "What is this request for permanent assignment to the T'Kumbra from one Captain Sadara Lochlan? She was supposed to be taking command of the USS Sovereign in a year's time and usually it's a pain in the rear end trying to take her out of the command chair. Do you have any idea how many times she's turned down the Admiralty?"

Solok sighed almost imperceptibly. He reminded himself that Admiral Ross wasn't prying since he had to assist in making sure there was enough command staff for these starships.

"Whirlwind romance as I believe you humans put it. Sadara has recently become my wife and is expecting our first child in May."

Ross couldn't have looked more stunned if he'd been hit by a phaser blast at point blank range. "But Lochlan has been on the T'Kumbra barely a week."

"Vulcan courtships progress rather swiftly," Solok commented without divulging details.

"So I'm gathering," Ross nodded, still looking like he couldn't believe his own ears. "Very well then, Captain. I will approve the request. I wouldn't want it said that I'd intentionally separated a family. But you've robbed the fleet of a one hell of a starship captain, I just want you to know that."

"Indeed, sir," Solok smirked rather smugly. "It was not my intention, but I can't say I'm displeased with the outcome."

"No doubt. And congratulations, captain. Give Sadara my regards. Ross out."

Solok remained another moment for the coded transmission Ross mentioned he was sending. He scrolled through his new orders quickly, then called up to the bridge to order the course change.

Returning to the dining room table, Solok took his place as Sadara sat across from him. "Was that Admiral Ross howling about my transfer request?" She'd felt a twinge of jealousy listening to Solok take that call as she was reminded that it would be some time again before she commanded another starship, provided she ever had the opportunity again.

"Howling isn't exactly the term I'd use, but he did mention that I was depriving the fleet of an exemplary starship captain."

"Isn't he sweet," she grinned, popping a forkful of food into her mouth.

Solok cocked an eyebrow at her as if failing to comprehend her meaning. Sadara smirked again; she was going to get years of revolting entertainment out of Solok and his distaste of emotion.


	8. Ambassador Spock

Sadara squeezed through the transporter room door just as it was about to hiss closed behind Captain Solok and Commander Sundar. Her last counseling session prior to Ambassador Spock's arrival had run a few moments over. Fortunately, she had prepared for such an eventuality and had taken her dress uniform with her to her office that morning and had simply changed her clothes there. She smoothed out her uniform quickly and gave her adun a mock indignant eyebrow.

"A counselor's work is never done," she stated, pulling on the uncomfortably high collar of her dress uniform. She had never cared for long sleeves and high necklines. She felt so restricted in such garments.

Solok turned to his transporter chief and nodded. "Energize."

Moments later, the familiar form of Ambassador Spock materialized on the transporter platform in diaphanous, ornate Vulcan robes in black and gray tones. Without missing a beat, he raised his hand in the Vulcan fashion and gracefully stepped off the platform. "Greetings, Captain Solok."

"Welcome aboard, Ambassador," Solok inclined his head respectfully. "Your presence honors us. Allow me to present my first officer, Commander Sundar; and I believe you are acquainted with ship's counselor and she who is my wife, Sadara."

That announcement earned an incredulous look from the graying Vulcan ambassador as he turned to his long dead best friend's wife. He noted that she had aged much better than he had despite the fact that she was only 10 years younger than he was. As they were the first of the Vulcan/Human hybrids, it remained to be seen how the younger hybrids would fare. Ambassador Spock surmised that the climates they were raised in and the various possibilities in the expression of Vulcan and Human genes had much to do with it. Sadara had been raised in more humid, slightly cooler climate, and under a sun not nearly as bright as Vulcan's. That had to have been easier on her skin. It was also possible that her Vulcan genes had spared her the more rapid aging that he had been subjected to. The lines around her mouth and eyes had deepened slightly indicating she was approaching middle age, but overall she was as stunning as she'd been when he'd first met her on the Enterprise a century earlier.

"Fascinating. I distinctly recall a conversation we had decades ago in which you swore you would never subject yourself to the tedium of life with an all Vulcan crew," he remarked, his deep gravelly voice betraying his amusement.

"I did… say that," she admitted. "I recently decided to challenge my own thinking regarding such things. It is self limiting to not face one's fears and assumptions."

Spock was fairly smirking as he regarded her and then glanced over at Solok. He had heard from various sources that the T'Kumbra's captain could be something of a bigot, especially as it pertained to non-Vulcans. Ambassador Spock was having difficulty conceiving of a more unlikely pair. A Vulcan with prejudicial attitudes toward non-Vulcans and a Vulcan/Human hybrid female that had spent the better part of her life uncomfortable with her Vulcan half. It should prove to be an interesting and informative partnership for both.

"And bonded to one even?"

"That part was not premeditated by me to be certain," she remarked as she shot Solok a teasing look. Solok's response was to smirk back, mischief alight in his light blue eyes. Spock was under the distinct impression these two made a game out of taunting each other. It was none of his business, but Spock had to admit he was intensely curious how these two wound up as bondmates.

Feeling like the fifth wheel, Sundar turned to Captain Solok after giving Spock a slight bow.

"With your permission captain, I shall return to the bridge and get the T'Kumbra underway to Vulcan."

"By all means, Commander." Solok paused a moment as the door swished shut behind his first officer. "The senior staff will be gathering for the weekly baseball game on the holodeck tonight, Ambassador. We would be honored by your presence. The evening meal will be provided. I believe my aduna refers to it as a potluck. Afterwards some remain to play kal-toh."

Sadara shrugged sheepishly at Spock's raised eyebrow. "You didn't truly think this crew would emerge unscathed of human influence, did you? And the baseball story is not to be missed."

"Indeed."

Solok cocked an eyebrow at his ashaya and gestured toward the exit. "Perhaps you should tell it while we escort the Ambassador to his quarters?"

Cocking her head in her adun's direction, Sadara proceeded to fill the ambassador in as she stepped out into the brightly lit corridor. "Many moons ago, when my esteemed adun was attending the Academy, he happened upon a drunk cadet named Benjamin Sisko in The Launching Pad. Solok and his cohorts were observing human social activities. Long story short, they got into a debate over which species was more superior which led to a wrestling match and infirmary visits. The rivalry had continued over the decades until Solok challenged Sisko to baseball, which happened to be Sisko's favorite pastime. As I'm sure you've surmised, the Vulcans won, but a number of the crew here on the T'Kumbra has continued to play since then. I just added the potluck aspect for flavor, pun intended."

A small sigh, tinged with amusement, escaped the T'Kumbra's commanding officer. "I had not anticipated that the crew's interest in the game would persist beyond attainment of the original goal. It seems that in teasing Captain Sisko about his illogical human bonding rituals, I inadvertently inherited a few here."

"That would be the fine hand of karma. She's a vindictive bitch, isn't she? She has one hell of a sense of humor too."

Sadara straightened as the three of them entered the turbolift as the eyebrows of both men shot up to the ceiling at her language. She sometimes forgot that Solok still found it difficult to accept her more colorful human epithets. She chastised herself slightly. It wasn't appropriate language around an ambassador even if she did know him from way back.

"What?"

Solok shook his head and ordered the lift to deck 8. "Your language, aduna, is occasionally… unladylike… I trust you refrain from counseling people with that mouth."

"Everyone but you, dear. I'm a product of my environment; namely numerous unscheduled layovers in Leonard McCoy's sickbay."

"Deflecting blame is illogical."

"It's fun though."

"Fun is also illogical."

"Oh? It's just too damned bad we'll all be having some tonight," Sadara laughed wickedly.

Remaining silent up to that point, Spock turned to Captain Solok and murmured. "I was going to suggest you quit while you were ahead, but you're not anymore so perhaps tonight would be the ideal time to regain the advantage with a game of Kal Toh."

Sadara growled slightly. "So far the only game he's been able to beat me at…"

The ever present smirk on Solok's thin face widened. "That's because you grow impatient, my wife."

"Only one of her many thumbscrews…," Spock teased.

Playing along, Sadara put her nose up in the air and exited the turbolift in a haughty fashion and made her way down the corridor toward the VIP quarters.

"Obviously I wasn't in full possession of my faculties when I bonded with her," Solok joked.


End file.
